The statements in this section merely provide background information related to the present disclosure and may not constitute prior art. Many engines, including automotive vehicle internal combustion engines, require a steady flow of fuel for operation. A fuel pump module submerged within a vehicle's fuel tank may be used to steadily pump fuel from the tank to the engine and/or fuel injection system to achieve this goal.
A typical fuel pump module has an outer shell containing a fuel pump, a suction filter, and a valve for receiving fuel from the fuel tank. The fuel pump may be centrally located within the outer shell and may have an opening for receiving fuel. The suction filter may be located in the vicinity of the opening of the fuel pump for preventing large particles in the fuel from entering fuel pump. Furthermore, the valve may be located at a lower surface of the shell and may be offset from the suction filter to allow a steady flow of fuel into the shell. The valve may be a static valve or may be a one-way valve that opens under the assistance of a vacuum or positive pressure. Accordingly, fuel is drawn into the shell through the valve and passes through the suction filter before being drawn into the fuel pump.
While excess particles are prevented from entering the fuel pump, they are not prevented from entering the reservoir of the fuel pump module. These particles may disadvantageously settle into the bottom of the reservoir and may clog the valve, thereby preventing fuel from freely entering the fuel pump module or may cause the valve to remain in an open position allowing fuel to drain from the reservoir. Furthermore, the eccentric location of the valve requires that each fuel pump module have a unique design for reaching optimal efficiency.
What is needed then is a valve arrangement that does not suffer from the above disadvantages. This, in turn, will provide a device that has a universal configuration while providing a steady flow of fuel.